Gwendolyn Simmerman

Gwendolyn “Gwen” Simmerman, 86, of Lake Stevens, WA, formerly of New Palestine, IN, passed away on May 5, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, faith, and quiet devotion to the people she loved most.

Born on November 17, 1939, in Palestine, IL, Gwen was the daughter of Ralph Walters and Ora (McDaniel) Walters. She grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Warren Central High School in 1957, carrying with her the values that would shape the rest of her life: hard work, compassion, and an unwavering love for family. After high school, she married Forrest Simmerman and started a family, living in New Jersey and Texas, before divorcing in 1974 and returning to the Indianapolis area where she resumed a career in banking at Railroadmen’s Federal Savings & Loan (later Huntington Bank) in Indianapolis, where she spent 24 years faithfully serving others, retiring in 1998 as a Vice President. She took pride in her work and was known for her steady presence, kind heart, and the genuine care she showed to everyone who crossed her path.

While Gwen worked hard throughout her life, the truest measure of who she was could never be found in a job title. It was found in her warmth, her laughter, and the way she made people feel welcomed and cared for. To know Gwen was to know kindness. She had a gentle spirit and an ability to see the good in everyone she met. Even in life’s hardest moments, she carried a laugh that could lighten the weight of sorrow and remind others to keep going.

Most of Gwen’s life was spent in New Palestine, Indiana, where she built a home centered around love, family, and faith. For the last fourteen years, she made her home in Lake Stevens, Washington, alongside her daughter and family, creating even more treasured memories in the Pacific Northwest.

Her faith remained a guiding force throughout her life. Gwen was a devoted Christian who attended many churches through the years, and her belief in God showed itself not only in worship, but in the way she treated others with grace, patience, and compassion.

Gwen found joy in life’s quieter moments. She loved quilting with her daughter, crocheting and knitting gifts for those she loved, and settling in with a good book, especially religious and romantic fiction. She also treasured traveling with her family. The Oregon coast became one of her favorite places, and one of her happiest memories was finally making the long-awaited trip to see Big Sur with her daughter a few years ago.

Above all else, Gwen’s family was the center of her world. Her grandchildren were especially precious to her, and she poured herself into their lives with a love that went far beyond that of a grandmother. She took great pride in each of them and cherished every opportunity to spend time together, creating memories filled with warmth, laughter, and unconditional love. To her family, Gwen was a constant source of comfort, encouragement, and steady support — someone whose home and heart were always open. Many of those closest to her would say she loved her grandchildren as if they were her own children, and that deep devotion was felt throughout every season of their lives.

She is survived by her children, Ralph Simmerman and Gwenette & Mark Sarault; by her grandchildren, Kacee Simmerman, Skylar Simmerman, Gavin Simmerman, Gwenora Sarault, and Evan Sarault; by her great-granddaughter, Haven; as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Ora Walters, and by her brother, Robert James Walters.

A time of visitation will be held from 1:00–3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23rd, at Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine. Funeral services will immediately follow at 3:00 p.m.  on Saturday, with Celebrant Curt Goodwine officiating. Burial will be in Palestine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Little Red Door Cancer Agency, with envelopes available at the funeral home.